The primary objective of this paper is to study the use of medical image-based finite element (FE) modelling in subject-specific midsole design and optimisation for heel pressure reduction using a midsole plug under the calcaneus area (UCA). Plugs with different relative dimensions to the size of the calcaneus of the subject have been incorporated in the heel region of the midsole. The FE foot model was validated by comparing the numerically predicted plantar pressure with biomechanical tests conducted on the same subject. For each UCA midsole plug design, the effect of material properties and plug thicknesses on the plantar pressure distribution and peak pressure level during the heel strike phase of normal walking was systematically studied. The results showed that the UCA midsole insert could effectively modify the pressure distribution, and its effect is directly associated with the ratio of the plug dimension to the size of the calcaneus bone of the subject. A medium hardness plug with a size of 95% of the calcaneus has achieved the best performance for relieving the peak pressure in comparison with the pressure level for a solid midsole without a plug, whereas a smaller plug with a size of 65% of the calcaneus insert with a very soft material showed minimum beneficial effect for the pressure relief.
Using Chinese cabbage and rape as test material and examining the same soil conditions at different seasons（spring and autumn）, the effects of mixed rare earth fertilizer on the yield and nutrient quality of leafy vegetables were studied to provide a theoretical basis for the application of mixed rare earth fertilizer in agriculture. Results showed a seasonal difference in the nutrient quality of Chinese cabbage and rape. For crops planted in autumn, the soluble sugar and vitamin C content were higher, the titratable acid and nitrate content were lower, and the sugar acid ratio was higher relative to crops planted in spring. Mixed rare earth treatments promoted growth of both crops during both seasons. The plot yield, stem and leaf fresh and dry matter weight, and dry and fresh ratio increased. These increases for Chinese cabbage were greater in autumn than in spring while for rape, the increases were greater in spring than autumn. The soluble sugar content, titratable acid content and sugar acid ratio were increased and the nitrate content decreased, in autumn the effects were more obvious than in spring. In spring, the vitamin C content was increased, and the increase was greater for Chinese cabbage than rape. In autumn, the vitamin C content decreased, and the decrease was greater for rape than Chinese cabbage. At the same time, the content of heavy metals such as Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb and Ni in stems and leaves decreased. This decrease was greater in spring for Chinese cabbage and in autumn for rape.
Soft materials with an embedded stiffer layer are increasingly used in medical and sports engineering. A detailed understanding of the mechanical behavior of such a material system under localised load and resistance to indentation is very important. In this work, the deformation of an isotropic soft matrix with a buried stiffer thin layer under a circular flat indenter was investigated through finite element (FE) modeling. A practical approach in simulating the indentation resistance of such a system (soft matrix with a buried thin stiffer layer) is evaluated. The numerical result is correlated with the data based on analytical approaches for both homogeneous materials and elastic half space with an embedded stiffer layer. The influence of Poisson's ratio and auxeticity of the matrix on the deformation and indentation stiffness of the material system under different conditions (indenter size, sheet thickness, and embedment depth) were established and main influences of the Poisson's ratio on the material deformation and stresses are discussed. The result shows that the influence of matrix auxeticity on indentation resistance is highly depth dependent, with over 30% enhancement of the indentation resistance being predicted for materials with matrix of a negative Poisson's ratio.
'/%3e%3cuse xlink:href='%23a' transform='rotate(23.036 .093 25.536)'/%3e%3cuse xlink:href='%23a' transform='rotate(45.87 1.273 16.18)'/%3e%3cuse xlink:href='%23a' transform='rotate(69.945 .996 12.078)'/%3e%3cuse xlink:href='%23a' transform='rotate(20.66 -19.689 31.932)'/%3e%3c/svg%3e)
'%3e%3cpath fill='%23012169' d='M0 0v30h60V0z'/%3e%3cpath stroke='%23fff' stroke-width='6' d='m0 0 60 30m0-30L0 30'/%3e%3cpath stroke='%23C8102E' stroke-width='4' d='m0 0 60 30m0-30L0 30' clip-path='url(%23b)'/%3e%3cpath stroke='%23fff' stroke-width='10' d='M30 0v30M0 15h60'/%3e%3cpath stroke='%23C8102E' stroke-width='6' d='M30 0v30M0 15h60'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3c/svg%3e)
